Another Amazing Conversation

Pearisburg, Virginia

June 9, 2022

Looking for a Pearisburg sticker for my rooftop carrier, I stopped into this store. I was able to get three stickers and so much more.

As the owner attempted to run my credit card, we began to talk about Pearisburg and “the part of Virginia people forget about.” Her husband went to MCV and she has a master’s degree in geology from NC State and taught high school.

When I told her I had been to Pocahontas yesterday, she asked if I’d been to the sister town of Bramwell (which is in West Virginia). She was disappointed that I had not been as that is where the coal mine owners lived — whereas the miners had lived in Pocahontas. She said the homes in Bramwell are beautiful — I’m tempted to drive back but that would be adding two hours of driving and this body is tired.

She said I must go to Floyd for the Friday evening music.

I asked about Appalachia poverty, noting that I did not see it yesterday. She said that the counties south of here are where I could see the Appalachia that I’ve heard about.

She was very up on the natural gas pipeline going through this area. She gave examples of how the developer had misplayed and misunderstood the history and knowledge people have in this area. The pipeline is to take gas to Charleston for export but the developer has not procured the necessary permits in North and South Carolina. And they’ve had a Devil of a time with the geology in Virginia.

https://www.mountainvalleypipeline.info/virginia-full-report/